So, we're not getting snowed in this year.....

Anyone else have Recess duty this week and busting out in a full on sweat?!?!  I have little hope of getting any extra week off this year because of deadly ice conditions.  Wasn't that a nice little unexpected break last year....
ahhh...memory lane:
I had a whole week at home...snuggling with my new little kitty boy.

 We spent 5 days napping on and off....there was no concept of time.  

I spent an embarrassing amount of time watching several seasons of Big Love.

 We bundled up a few times and "slid" around the neighborhood. 

 We got bored and gave Ollie Boo a few baths.  Oh my....  he probably still has nightmares about the kitchen sink..

 On day 4 we traveled a few miles to Walgreens and picked up some supplies.  I actually found all the ingredients to make Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole AND Mac n Cheese.  I'm not sure I should be that excited all the ingredients were there.....   seems yucky now...but let me assure you-  This meal lasted us a few days and we were happy campers!!!!

But this year----The sun is out.  The little kitty boy is now a 17 pound beast....and still growing.  No staying up all hours of the night watching reruns of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives...I'm in bed at 10:00p.m. on the dot.  We are proud Sprouts grocery shoppers...sorry Walgreens.  You were there when we needed you though.   And...we just started a new Couples Bible Study.

We are diving into the book of Proverbs and have learned some serious daily lessons.   Although we have only met 3 times with our group...can I say Meant To Be.  We are all in the same chapter of our lives and have oh so much in common. 

The timing of starting this in our lives is awesome. 

Is anyone else doing "14 days of Valentines" for their hubby?  I am so excited to start his surprises tomorrow morning!    Stay tuned, I'll be posting some of the sussies I am using this year.  

3/4 foodie and 1/4 date night

3/4 foodie blog

Is anyone else a little obsessed with looking at pictures of food.  I'm a sucker for food blogs, t.v. channels, magazines, and pinning!!!  Say I'm not alone!!  I try to cook something new each week...it doesn't always happen... but it makes me feel like all my food stalking isn't going to waste!!! 

I had to try the 7up biscuits... 

2 cups Bisquick

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup 7-up

1/4 cup melted butter

I added some cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 450.

Cut sour cream into biscuit mix, add 7-Up. Makes a very soft dough.

Sprinkle additional biscuit mix on board or table and pat dough out. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 9 inch square pan.  Place cut biscuits in pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

I also used my le creuset pot for the first time.  Beef stew and biscuits.  That's a good Sunday!!!

 During the last post, I mentioned that The Mr. never liked eating fish, sushi, etc.  He asked me if I would start making it for dinner since he knows it's so healthy.    So.....we gave it a go.    I baked lemon cod.....

 and he gave it a thumbs up!!  Maybe he dowsed it in extra lemon.....  but he still smiled and said how good it tasted!!!   What a good man!!

 Ummm...  guess what we've been eating for 2 weeks?!?!?!

Stuffed halibut....   stuffed salmon...  

 And if that wasn't enough seafood.... 
I found the most delicious Crab dip recipe.  (on pinterest, of course)    It was perfect for my little le creuset server. 

We gobbled it up..but not before I scooped spoonfuls out and put it on top of bread and toasted it!!  I know you would have done the same thing. 

1/4 date night
We met a bunch of our buddies for date night last weekend...we had lots of catching up to do!!  Our night was completed with pizza, stories of Hawaii, laughing at our goofy husbands, and a 2 man band that was way too loud!!! 

I am thankful for nights like this.  They make me so happy to have found my lifelong friends and my forever love. 

Take a stroll....

Each year The Mr. and I stop by the Galleria and take a picture by the Big Red Tree.  We watch all the people below ice skate (spot the wobbly skater and giggle), snack on some chocolate from the Godiva shop, go get all of my jewelry cleaned, and then we find a yummy place for dinner.   Who's ready to take a stroll down memory lane?!?!

2008

 2009

 2010

 2011

The Mr. picked the cutest Shuck 'n' Jive restaurant.  I had a delicious fried fish Po' boy.  And just to prove the point that I am incapable of taking a steady iPhone picture.

 Then a few days later we celebrated NYE.  We have always spent the evening with friends...livin' it up... but this year we decided to keep it low key and just go to dinner.  We pulled out our favorite "cheersing" glasses and then headed to one of our favorite spots.

 How I wasn't shoveling this in my mouth long enough to take a picture is still a mystery to me.  Artichoke crab dip has to be the perfect appetizer in my eyes. 

 As if we didn't fill our tummy's already...  we ordered our meals.  Oh... we couldn't make a dent in our food.  We laugh because we think we were over-served. 

One highlight that happened at dinner was seeing a fellow blogger.  You know, that moment when you see someone that looks familiar...you can't figure out where you know them from...  ooooohhh yeeeaah,  I follower her blog.  I tried describing this star struck moment to my husband without sounding like a stalker...but I couldn't explain it any other way.  He gave me the "one eyebrow up" look.  Pretty sure he thought I was a little wacko.  So,  I stood up and introduced myself....eee!     So stop by and visit my Real Life bloggy friend Wendy!!!

Anyone still up for more memories on NYE...  

2009

2010 Pj party

 2011

And here we are....2012.  I know it's only 8 days in...but I am so proud of my hubs.  He has been working out hard core every single day and snacking so healthy.   He's even started trying to eat fish...so he has asked me to add it in the weekly meal rotation. Hallelujah.  

 I have been scouring Pinterest because Cod and Cajun Catfish are on the planner for this week!!!  I'll let you know if he gives it a thumbs up!!!

Press Rewind

Wow...I just had the best 30 minutes going through pictures from 2011.  So many fun memories!!
I spent the morning visiting blogs and all the "Recap" posts put warm fuzzies in my tummy.  I love seeing the year put into pictures...the highs ...the lows.... and here we are now, in a new year!!!! 
2011 brought us:
January: a new furbaby. Ollie boo.

 cirque du soleil

Girls nights:

February: 

We were snowed in and snuggling with our furbabies!

March:  Engagement party for our two sweet friends

 Dinner with friends.

 Teacher talk with my girls...

Snuggle bears.

April: We finished one of the guest rooms upstairs.

 We had a blast spending time with my dad at a Renaissance festival.

May: We won at the horse races....  everyone except my sweet hubby.

 The Mr. showered me with amazing gifts on my 29th (say what....I don't like those two numbers together) birthday.

June:  We celebrated our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of marriage!!!! 

 We made lots of cold drinks and ice creams to help us get through the extremely HOT summer!!

July:  We traveled to St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Aruba, Puerto Rico, and (our favorite) Curacao for our anniversary.  We have the best trip family!

 I threw a golf-themed party for The Mr.'s 34th b-day....   This was my favorite weekend at home last summer.

August:  School started but I wasn't ready to leave my little Ollie boo...

September:  We call this our "close" month.  We both got Salmonella poisoning.... we were out for the count for a few weeks.  We think our marriage was brought to new levels of "closeness" during that time!!!

 We cooked together..... (I know...I allowed him in the kitchen at the same time as me!!!)  This was one of our first real meals after not eating for almost 2 weeks.

October: We spent time with our sweet friends...

We kept our traditions...visiting the killer bunnies at the pumpkin patch and having our kiddie Halloween party!!

November: Several Thanksgiving dinners...   and weddings with my sweet friends.

December:   We hosted a gingerbread party!

 I giggled with my team WAY TOO MUCH!!   I'm missing them!!

 We spent a lot of time with family!!

I can't wait to see how my 2012 recap looks next year!  I'm starting off the year, in my jammies, munching on left overs, recipe searching, and listening to my love scream at the top of his lungs at the T.V.  I secretly think he believes the coaches can actually hear him....   errrr....   I wouldn't want to spend the day any other way.